Application on joint hearing for Rosmah, Rizal fixed on May 24

The High Court in Kuala Lumpur will hear on May 24 a prosecution application for the corruption and money-laundering cases of Rosmah Mansor, wife of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, and a corruption case of Rizal Mansor, a former special officer of Najib, to be heard together.

DPP Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar made the application during case management before High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan who set the date to hear the application and arguments of the parties in the cases involving Rosmah, 67, and Rizal, 45.

On Oct 4, 2018, Rosmah, who is represented by Manjeet Singh Dhillon and K Kumaraendran, pleaded not guilty to 12 charges of money laundering amounting RM7,097,750 and five charges of failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).

She was charged with committing the offences at Affin Bank Berhad, Bangunan Getah Asli, Ground Floor, 148, Jalan Ampang between Dec 4, 2013, and June 8, 2017, and at LHDN, Government Offices Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim between May 1, 2014, and May 1, 2018.

The money laundering charge under the Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 is punishable under Section 4(1) of the same act which provides for a maximum of 15 years jail and fine not less than five times the amount or value of the proceeds of the unlawful activity or instrumentalities of an offence at the time the offence was committed or five million ringgit, whichever is the higher, upon conviction.

For the failure to declare her income, she was charged under Section 77(1) of the Income Tax Act 1967 for submitting her income for the assessment years of 2013 to 2017 to the director-general of LHDN at or before April 30 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 without reasonable excuse under Section 112 of the law.

For the corruption case involving the supply and installation of rural school solar energy in Sarawak, Rosmah faces two charges of seeking RM187.5 million and receiving RM1.5 million two years ago.

Rosmah was also presented by Akberdin Abdul Kader and Jagjit Singh.

She was charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and is liable to be punished under Section 24 of the same act which provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and fine not less than five times the sum or value of the bribe or RM100,000 whichever is higher upon conviction.

Rizal who was represented by Ridha Abdah Subri pleaded not guilty to four charges of seeking and receiving bribes for himself and Rosmah amounting to RM5.5 million involving the project to supply and install rural school solar energy in Sarawak under Section 16(a)(A) of MACC Act 2009.

- Bernama